Semprus BioSciences Appoints Alonzo D. Cook, Ph.D. Group Leader, Research

Online, September 20, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Semprus BioSciences today announced the appointment of Alonzo (Lon) D. Cook, Ph.D., to the newly-created post of Group Leader, Research, effective immediately. In this role, Dr. Cook will manage the company's pipeline as it expands its Semprus Sustain™ Technology beyond its initial product, a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC).

Semprus BioSciences is a venture-funded biomedical company whose proprietary rationally designed polymeric system organizes, manages and harnesses water molecules on a medical device surface. This system creates a highly non-fouling performance that significantly reduces attachment of proteins, cells, bacteria and other biological matter. The company's products are designed to reduce the 56,000 preventable annual U.S. deaths and $11.2 billion cost of infection and thrombus-related complications1 that often arise when medical devices are implanted in the body.

Prior to accepting his position at Semprus BioSciences, Dr. Cook held the position of Manager, Technology Assessment at Advanced Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, LLC, at Johnson and Johnson. There, he led the technology evaluation process for key strategic initiatives in the fields of regenerative medicine, orthobiologics, local drug delivery and implanted medical devices. His career at Johnson and Johnson spanned 8 years and also included working for DePuy Biologics. From 1996-2003, Dr. Cook held a variety of key research management positions with W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., developing medical devices, and patented technology for hydrophilic coatings and attachment of active biologics to surfaces.

"Lon brings a valuable and learned perspective to our world class team," said Semprus Chief Technology Officer, Christopher Loose, Ph.D. "We are eager for Lon to use his expertise in identifying and developing our pipeline for our proprietary Semprus Sustain™ platform."

Dr. Cook holds a B.S. and M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering with Robert Langer, Sc.D., from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a thesis topic entitled "The Evaluation of Poly(lactic acid-co-lysine) as a Bioresorbable Scaffold for Cell Transplantation."

Dr. Cook has been a member of the Society for Biomaterials and several National Science Foundation-sponsored advisory boards. He holds numerous honors and professional awards; most recently earning the Johnson & Johnson Global Leadership Profile Award. His research has been published in several prestigious refereed journals, including the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research and Journal of Biomaterials Applications, and he holds several biomaterial patents in the U.S. and abroad.

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About Semprus BioSciences:
Semprus BioSciences is a venture-backed biomedical company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company's innovative, proprietary Semprus Sustain™ Technology signifies a breakthrough in medical device technology with its highly non-fouling surface using covalently bonded polymers that coordinate water over the device surface to give extended durability. In December 2010, the company completed an $18 million Series B financing co-led by SR One, the corporate venture capital arm of GlaxoSmithKline, and Foundation Medical Partners (FMP), a national healthcare venture capital investment firm with a strategic relationship with Cleveland Clinic. Combined with previous financing rounds, Semprus has raised a total of $28.5 million in equity.

Visit http://www.semprusbio.com for additional information.

Contact: Michael Devine
[email protected]
617.577.7755 ext. 202

Holly P. Glass
[email protected]
571.243.1952